Ripped Off in Prague
Not a pleasant experience.
After a 5-hour train trip from Vienna, we arrived in Prague to find they don’t accept euro! I think if you want to be in the EU, one of the stipulations should be you must adopt the euro as your official currency. (enough of me on my soapbox!)
The taxi rip off
So still trying to work out the money conversions, we hired two taxis to take us to our hotel. They did quote us 800 Czech crowns for each car, but our brains were too tired to work out we were being ripped off! 32 euro was the approximate conversion for each cab!
We found out later, 260 Czech crowns was what each should have been! The next day, I found out that everyone gets ripped off by the taxi drivers in Prague, so I didn’t feel so bad. It’s just that they are the first taste you have of a new city, and we didn’t feel like spending another cent here!
So we decided to stay put in our lovely apartment and play Bananagrams. We started on the verandah but soon became chilled to the bone (even with drinking the red wine from the minibar) so moved inside. Our determination not to spend another cent was soon diminished by our hunger and Keeley and Kiryn headed out to find us some dinner — which they did, extremely successfully. Pizza and calzone — a new taste sensation! And VERY cheap!
To bed, but not to sleep. Too tired to do anything but just lay awake for hours and hours consequently struggled to get out of bed the next morning. Everyone headed off on their own which was probably a good thing as it forced me to navigate on my own. After my frightening experience in Vienna, I made sure I took a map.
Not getting lost again
I wished I’d also taken a pen! I tried to be observant and took notice of every building I passed so I could find my way back again. I felt like I wanted to drop a trail of breadcrumbs like Hansel and Gretel did but figured the pigeons would soon gobble up my markers!
I managed to get to the river which was quite beautiful and very busy with boats going up and down constantly. Along the banks, I found a flea market. Trust me! Not the expensive tourist markets that were in the middle of the town, but genuine Czech second-hand markets. Alas, I had no cash, but loved looking at everything and chatting to the stallholders — well, the ones who spoke English. The lack of cash did not allow me to use any amenities so I had to find somewhere to eat or drink that took credit cards and had a toilet.
A lucky find
Eureka! The Florentina, a river cruise boat with a restaurant, had a 3-course meal for 6 euro (150 Czech crowns). Bargain! I met up with Keeley at the very touristy Charles Bridge and brought her back to the Florentina. We feasted on a delicious lunch of pumpkin soup and pancetta, chicken schnitzel with seven parsley potatoes, and a parfait glass of real vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce all washed down with a Pilsner Urquell beer (35 Czech crowns: €1.40)
After using the facilities on the boat, we headed off to the Jewish Cemetery, which of course was closed. Not sure if it was because it was the Jewish Sabbath or a public holiday, but we did find a beautiful glass and Bohemian Crystal shop.
Nothing as interesting as Stacey’s glass collection that she bought in Prague years ago. We then wandered through the cobble-stoned streets until we stumbled upon the Old Town Square which was overrun with tourists from every nation. Keeley climbed the Astronomical Clock Tower while I people-watched and dodged the ubiquitous pigeons.
She was up at the top when the trumpeter played to an adoring crowd because it was 3 o’clock. The crowd clapped in appreciation, but I thought it was all a bit much. He played about 6 bars! To make it even worse, the guy sitting beside me kept humming it for the next half an hour!
I can’t remember what we did after this, (no we didn’t have a drink!) but we did manage to make it back to our hotel apartment to find the rest of the gang having a merry old time — drinking of course! Of course, we joined them with vodka and orange juice!
The worst food and service.
I wanted calzone for dinner again but was outvoted so heading off to a little cafe close by. I wasn’t very hungry after our 3-course lunch, so chose the fried cheese (the worst I have ever had) and blueberry pancakes (also close to the worst — I have made slightly worse at home — I burnt the bum out of them once) but these were tough and rubbery.
And the service? Non-existent! Needless to say, we did not tip him. He was smoking, drinking, Facebooking, and on the phone the whole time we were there. (We could see him in the large mirror!) Keeley and I slept in the following morning, just making it to breakfast at 9.45 am and lucky enough to have the last 2 eggs, the last 2 rolls, but sadly only enough orange juice for one. Keeley headed off on a mission to buy Stacey a wooden hair clip from the Charles Bridge, while I headed off to find the Thai massage place — no, not what you are thinking — but stopping to buy a lovely pair of fur-lined (I am sure it’s not real fur) leather gloves at the markets on the way. I still have those gloves. I wear them every time I travel.
The Thai fish experience
I wanted to have the little fishies to eat my feet, as I had heard so many good stories from friends who had done it in Thailand. Keeley wanted to have her feet eaten too. She eventually found an ATM by which stage my feet really needed the fish treatment! We paid 599 Czech crowns each for 25 minutes (about €24) and went through the most thorough cleansing process before we were allowed to even go anywhere near the fish.
Oh, how can I describe it? We sat in a shop window with our feet (and hands when we wanted to) immersed in a big tank of little fish who loved to eat dead skin! We attracted so many passersby who stopped to take photos of us that we felt like movie stars! What a fantastic experience! We were such an attraction that they allowed us to stay for longer than an hour — what bliss! And my feet felt so rejuvenated I could have danced, danced, danced all night.
Shop till you drop.
Well, I didn’t actually dance but I did shop — for hours! We entered the Palladium Shopping Centre which had more than 200 shops, but no hairdressers which was the next thing on my list, but we did find a C&A where Keeley went a little crazy buying Simpsons boxers for Carl and Jamie, shirts for her, even a pair of joggers for €3, while I just bought a headband and a 3-pack of walking socks. We then wandered through the markets where I ummed and aahed about buying a beautiful glass Christmas tea-light holder, but decided against it as it was too delicate to carry.
Ghosts and Legends Night Tour
We then headed to the Astronomical Clock where we were to meet our guide for the Ghosts and Legends tour. While we were waiting in the square, we thought we might have a beer so we could use their toilet. We did enjoy the beer though. It was another Pilsner Urquell, the local beer brewed in Plzen.
We finally managed to find the meeting point through Keeley’s exceptional map-reading skills (thank God I’ve passed it on to her because I’ve lost it!) and met our lovely guide, Anna, and the rest of our small but multicultural group from Iran, Greece, Hungary and of course, Australia.
We had a fun night together learning a lot about the history and legends of Prague. It sure made the streets come alive, and only one scream from me which everyone thought was extremely amusing — all except me! One of these days someone is going to scare me one time too many and will literally scare me to death.
Very fortunately, the tour finished at a spot I recognised from yesterday’s meanderings and I knew the way back to our apartment collecting a delicious calzone on the way. Just what the ghosts ordered! And off to bed, ready for an early start tomorrow, and a 7 hour trip to Budapest.